Stray/Abandoned Kitten meets 2 domestic cats

Question
My husband recently found a male kitten (3-4) wks old that someone left near a trailer park. (This just happened hours ago so it hasn't been brought home just yet.# We already have 2 cats #brother & sister)that are about 4yrs old.(both fixed) I'm concerned about how they might interact with the kitten.  Any suggestions on how to introduce and what precautions we should be aware of?

Thanx, MrsV

Answer
Hi Laci,

The little one should be kept separate from the other two except when you're holding him for now. His reflexes are too slow to defend himself, so you'll need to keep him sheltered from the other cats just in case of a sudden swat. That said, the younger the kitten, the easier it is for cats to accept them. So I try to start introductions young. Assuming your two are up to date on all their vaccines and are showing no evidence of illness themselves, it's okay for them to look in on the little one and have a sniff here and there. I recommend to only let them sniff the baby from behind, while you're holding him. If they DO decide they want to swat, you don't want the little ones eyes to take a hit. If the older cats start hissing and growling far too much, walk away with the baby.

I don't recommend any close contact until a couple weeks after the kitten starts receiving his own vaccinations, which should be in another couple of weeks (5-6 weeks old). The kitten needs to have some protection against any germs your adults could possibly be carrying. Most cats carry the feline herpes virus and/or calici virus, which can be fatal in kittens this young. At 8 weeks or so, the kitten should be tested for the feline leukemia and AIDS viruses. If he is positive for leukemia, he should be separated and retested in three months to be sure. He can pass this disease to the other cats through grooming. If he is positive for AIDS, this is almost certainly a false negative and is only because his mother passed him antibodies in her milk. I don't feel separation is necessary if the cats are friendly, personally, because this disease is only passed through deep bite wounds (not those seen during play, but during territorial or sexual aggression). You should retest the baby in 6 months to be sure of his status if he comes back as positive. Rehoming or permanent separation is recommended if his second LEUKEMIA test is positive, or at the very least, vaccinating your other cats against the disease. I personally keep AIDS positive cats along with negative ones and have never had the disease spread.

Your only other major precaution is to watch and make sure that your two adult cats are gentle with him before leaving them alone together. For the next couple of weeks, you should allow them to see him only while you are holding him, and go to a separate room if they become too upset. Once the kitten has been vaccinated for a week or two, they can start interacting more directly. By then, they should be quite accepting of him. If not, try giving them 15 minute visits several times a day, with the kitten in his own room the rest of the time. Slow introduction is the key to healthy relationships. Give them as long as they need to accept him.

Good luck!

Jessica